John Haldane: 2010 Scots visit very different from 1982

FROM the point last September when it was first reported that the Pope had accepted an invitation to come to Britain, it was virtually certain it would include a visit to Scotland.

For one thing the Catholic churches north and south of the Border are distinct institutions, and with Scotland having its own Parliament it would have been seen as insulting not to include it in the British tour.

Given the timing of the visit, however, when the Queen will be in Balmoral, Scotland has shifted to the foreground and it is here that the world's Press will gather to observe the arrival of the Pope and his welcome by the sovereign at Holyroodhouse.

Indeed, there is some concern in London that by the time the Papal party arrives in Westminster, the international interest will have diminished.

To date there has only ever been one visit to Britain by a reigning Pope, that of John Paul II in 1982, so the September arrival of his immediate successor Benedict XVI will certainly be a historic event. But much has happened in the intervening three decades and the crowds are likely to be smaller.

Having recently visited the Czech Republic, one of the most secular states in western Europe, the Pope is aware of the times we live in; and the terrible legacy of abuse scandals has accustomed him to criticism, so he is aware that the visit presents challenges as well as opportunities.

One point of commentary at this stage is the likely contrast with the circumstances of John Paul II's visit, and the way in which this might be revealed in the attendance at the planned Mass in Bellahouston Park.

In 1982 John Paul II drew a crowd of 300,000 and delighted them with all the energy and charm that had made him one of the best known and admired figures on the globe. He was a youthful 62, while Benedict will be 83 and is a quiet, softly spoken and even shy figure.

More marked than the differences between the popes, however, is the difference between Catholicism in Scotland then and now.

The year 1965 saw the close of the Second Vatican Council, been convened by John XXIII to open the Church to the world and allow it to respond to political, social, economic and technological changes.

By 1982 this had led to a more outward looking and confident Catholicism, with the Scottish laity also progressing beyond the economic and class limitations of their largely immigrant parents and grandparents.

Since then, increasing affluence has also seen younger generations of Catholics, as of other denominations, find greater interest, consolation and distraction in material culture. With debt and unemployment rising there may be renewed interest in issues of mind and spirit, but for now, and because of the scandals and challenges, religion is on an ebbing tide.

For that very reason, however, religious adherence and practice are counter-cultural so those who hold fast to their faith are likely to be more serious about it.

Scottish Catholic weekly church attendance runs to about 200,000; and it is likely that no other event in Scotland in 2010 will or could attract the number likely to be gathered at Bellahouston on 16 September.

• John Haldane, is professor of philosophy at St Andrew's University.